The HTC One V rounds out HTC’s smartphone announcements today in Barcelona. Unlike the HTC One X and HTC One S, the One V is considered a mid-range device, expected to have mass market appeal due to its size, features and what’s expected to be a low price. The handset’s specifications include a 1GHz processor, 3.7-inch WVGA display, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RM, an 8 megapixel camera with an advanced BSI sensor all wrapped up in an aluminum unibody shell which looks eerily similar to the HTC Legend HTC introduced at Mobile World Congress two years ago.

The HTC One V is expected to launch globally in April of this year, though there is no indication that the phone is scheduled to be launched by any US carriers. Since the HTC One V features lower-end specs than the other HTC One devices, we expect European carrier to offer the handset for free with new two year service agreements.

BARCELONA, SPAIN — Mobile World Congress — February 26, 2012 — HTC, a global designer of smartphones, today unveiled its new HTC One series of smartphones that represent its most premium mobile experience with a new level of iconic design and amazing camera and authentic sound experience.

“The best moments in life are captured with a photo or remembered by a song, so it was key for the HTC One series to improve these emotional experiences with an amazing camera and authentic sound experience,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “We are very focused on creating a camera and audio experience customers will love and use often and we believe the HTC One series delivers this in a way never seen on a phone before.”

With HTC’s most premium experience, the HTC One series integrates Android 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Senseâ„¢ 4, the new version of HTC’s branded user experience that is introducing HTC ImageSenseâ„¢, a new suite of camera and imaging features that set HTC One apart from other phones. HTC Sense 4 also includes broad enhancements to audio quality and simplifies how people listen to music on their phone.

Amazing Camera

With ImageSense HTC One rivals traditional digital cameras with improvements to every part of the camera, including the lens, the sensor, the software, and even integrating a new custom HTC ImageChip. These enhancements combine to deliver our fastest image capture, best image quality under adverse conditions and easiest interface that enables quick access to capturing stills and videos with side-by-side photo and video capture buttons.

Superfast Capture - HTC One dramatically reduces the time it takes to capture those key moments. In just 0.7 seconds you’re able to take a shot, and with a new superfast 0.2-seconds autofocus, continue to take nearly unlimited continuous shots simply by holding the shutter button.

Good photos in adverse conditions - HTC One delivers dramatic enhancements in image capture quality even in adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting. The f/2.0 lens on the HTC One X and HTC One S offers best-in-class performance, capturing 40 percent more light than the f/2.4 lenses available on other high-end phones. HTC One also includes HDR, a market-leading technology, for taking great photos even when there are varying levels of brightness.

Video Pic (Concurrent Video/Still Capture) — With Video Pic you capture a photo and shoot video at the same time. Now, while you’re shooting HD video, all you have to do is tap the shutter button and it snaps a high-resolution still photo while the video continues to shoot. You are also able to capture a photo frame from a previously recorded video.

Dropbox integrated with HTC Sense - HTC One gives you an easy way to save and share your photos and videos. HTC has integrated Dropbox into HTC Sense 4 enabling HTC One customers to get 25 gigabytes of free Dropbox space for two years. That’s enough to keep more than 10,000 high-quality photos. Dropbox is also integrated throughout HTC Sense 4, so it’s easy to edit, save and share your documents and other kinds of files.

Sharing your photos and more - HTC One gives you a new way to share your photos and videos. When you plug in HTC’s wireless Media Link HD* accessory into your TV’s HDMI port, you can easily share your photos, videos, or anything else on your phone with your friends, family or colleagues regardless of the television’s brand as long as it has HDMI.

Authentic SoundWith HTC One, Beats By Dr. DreAudioâ„¢ integration is enabled for the first time across the entire experience for richer, more authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a YouTubeâ„¢ video or playing a game. HTC One also makes it easy to get and listen to your music on your phone with the built-in HTC Sync Manager software that automatically installs to your computer when connected. Once connected, it is easy to transfer songs, artists and playlists from your music library

Of course, people today no longer just listen to the songs stored on their phones; they use streaming services and tune into Internet radio. So HTC One lets you customize the new Music Hub with your favorite services and music applications, like the latest Soundhound technology, giving you one place to go for all of your music.

HTC One lets you take all of your music anywhere, including the car. With HTC One, you get an easy way to bring your mobile music to your car’s sound system with the HTC Car Stereo Clip*. It also lets you connect to your music through more than 50 thousand online radio stations worldwide or play music from any service or app on your phone through your car speakers. All this makes HTC One the one place to enjoy all your music, wherever you are, with the power of Beats By Dr. DreAudio and HTC Car.

HTC One VUtilizing the classic, award-winning design of the HTC Legend, the HTC One V brings top-end design to a smartphone with broad appeal and a premium experience that delivers an amazing camera and authentic sound. It features a simple, iconic aluminum unibody design that exudes craftsmanship and quality.

Global AvailabilityWith unprecedented excitement, the HTC One series will begin shipping in April with broad global availability available beginning in April through more than 140 mobile operators and distributors globally. For more information and to pre-register for HTC One visit www.htc.com.

I haven’t see one nice phone that wasn’t made by Sony or Apple, do HTC and all the rest not know what the word “Aesthetics” means because judging by the look of all these phones i’d guess not. I know some of you guys rave about the insides of phones but for me the way a phone looks is as important, if not more so, than the power or screen size, which I might add I hate all large phones .. for me the key word was always “mobile” and I can see a time coming where people are walking round with phones the size of tablets, crazy.

LOL high-end somebody has has some low standards this is low-mid range at best there are some pretty good prepaid phones like the Huawei Mercury, ZTE blade, and Samsung Exhibit 2 that go for about $200-250 off contract that have similar specs.

HTC: “should we update our older model phones to ICS? Nah, let’s just release them again with a new name, but sell them with ICS pre-loaded, and double-dip in our bowl of consumer guacamole.”
I can see the benefit of having a phone that you can give away free with new contracts or upgrades, because there IS a market for that. The problem is, people who don’t understand that “Android” doesn’t refer to the exact device in YOUR hand or packet, but rather the OS and ecosystem in general, get phones like this, hate, them, and then go get an iPhone and instantly think iPhone is light years ahead of Android. Obviously it’s not; but it’s light years ahead of this phone and that’s unfortunate.

The One S has a Snapdragon S4 (to me it’s going to be this generation’s winner when it comes to every day use) and is a really nice looking device . The One X has a Tegra 3 (which can play the best games since ‘Tegra Games’ are blocked on other devices due to, I don’t know, PR shenanigans). The One X will probably be cheap (and it looks great to boot).

I would say this is entry-level hardware by now, late 2010/early 2011 specs essentially.
Though I do like how it reminds me of the Hero or Legend. Some good memories, those early days of Android (and the Hero was already quite the welcome bump up from my G1)